Retractable serving tray



Sept. 23, 1958 w. J. zEGLls RETRACTABLE SERVING TRAY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 16, 1957 ATTORNEYS Sept.l 23, 1958 w. J. zEGLls RETRACTABLE SERVING TRAY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 16, 1957 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS United States Patent O M RETRACTABLE SERVIPG TRAY William J. Zeglis, San Bernardino, Calif.

Application January 16, 1957, Serial No. 634,483

2 Claims. (Cl. 211-86) This invention relates to a retractable serving tray.

'An object of this invention is to provide a serving tray with supporting means therein whereby the tray may be extended or retracted from a supporting means.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a retractable serving tray means for swingably mounting the tray on the supporting means, whereby the tray may be disposed in a convenient position.

With the foregoing and other objects in v iew which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts, hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts witho-ut departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of a serving tray constructed according to an embodiment of this invention showing the tray in retracted position.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken horizontally through the tray supporting means.

Fig. 3 is a partially sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section on an enlarged scale taken through the tray and supporting means.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. l.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7--7 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a detail side elevation partly broken away showing the tray in extended position.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on line 10-10 of Fig. 8.

Fig. ll is a plan view of a constructional detail.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral designates generally a tubular supporting member which has secured to one end thereof a strap or plate 16 having an aperture 17 through which a fastening member is adapted to extend. 'I'he tubular member 15 also has fixed thereto adjacent the opposite end thereof, a transversely extending bar 1S having apertures 19 for securing the bar 18 to a supporting element. An elongated rod 20 is slidably disposed within the tubular member 15 and the rod 20 has extending laterally therefrom at a point between the ends thereof a pin 21. The tubular member 15 is provided with an elongated slot 22 extending outwardly from the inner end thereof and the pin 21 slidably engages in slot 22 so as to hold the rod 20 against turning within the tubular member 15.

A laterally projecting tray supportingl plate 23 is xed as by welding or the like to the inner end of the rod 20 and the plate 23 has extending from the outer end thereof an inverted L-shaped keeper slot 24. A sector shaped plate 25 (see Figs. l and ll) engages on the upper side of the plate 23 and has the outer arcuate marginal edge 26 thereof engaging beneath the keeper 24. The plate 25 as shown in Fig. 5, is provided with a reduced 2,853,197 Patented Sept. 23, 1958 l CC.

marginal edge 27. A serving tray generally indicated at 28 is welded or otherwise tixedly= secured5 to the sector shaped plate 25 and the tray 28 includes a bottom wall 29v with an upwardly and outwardly tia-red rim 30. The plate 25 is provided with a depending stop lug 31 which is adapted to engage against the keeper 24 so as to limit the turning of the tray with respect to the plate 23. The plate 25 is pivotally mounted on the plate 23 by means of a bolt 32 which is welded to the plate 25 and extends through the plate 23. A nut 33 is threaded onto the bolt or pivot member 32 and provides a means for frictionally holding the tray 28 in adjusted position.

The tray 28 when in its fully extended position is swung at right angles to the position shown in Fig. 1. At this time the tray 28 with the rod 20, is moved to the left and pin 21 is withdrawn from the inner end of slot 22 and is then turned at right angles to dispose the tray 28 in a horizontal position. The tray 28 is supported in a horizontal position by moving the tray with pin 21 forwardly a short distance so that pin 21 will be disposed in a forwardly extending and downwardly curved keeper slot 34 which is formed in the inner end of the supporting tube or guide 15. At this time the tray will be in the position shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

In the retracted position of the tray 28 the tray will be disposed as shown in Fig. l wherein the tray will be in a vertical depending position. At this time the pin 21 will be disposed at the forward end of the longitudinal slot 22 in tubular guide or support 15. When it is desired to use the tray 28 the tray is pulled to the left as viewed in Fig. 1 until pin 21 is withdrawn from slot 22. T he tray 28 with rod 20 is then turned at right angles to a horizontal position and moved forwardly a slight distance with pin 21 engaging in keeper 34. As keeper 34 is inclined downwardly and forwardly the weight of tray 28 is sucient to maintain pin 21 within the keeper 34. The tray 28 may be swung about a horizontal plane with bolt 32 as an axis so that the tray may be disposed in a convenient position.

What is claimed is:

.1. A retractable serving tray comprising an elongated tubular supporting member, means securing said member to a support ina horizontal position, said member having -a longitudinal slot extending inwardly 'from one end thereof, an elongated rod loose in said member, said member having a second slot extending -inwardly from said one end land s-aid second slot being longitudinally curved and constituting a keeper, a pin xed to said rod and loosely selectively engageable in each of said slots, a tray supporting plate fixed to said rod, -a tray, a sector shaped plate fixed to the lower side of said tray, means pivotally securing said sector shaped plate to said supporting plate, and an L-shaped guide carried by said supporting plate engaging over the outer arcuate edge of said sector-shaped platte, said tray in the inoperative position thereof being in depending position with said pin engaging in said longitudinal slot, said t-ray in the operative position thereof being in a horizontal position with said pin disposed in said keeper.

2. A retract-able serving tray comprising an elongated tubular supporting member, means securing said member to a support in a horizontal position, said member having a longitudinal slot extending inwardly from one end thereof, an elongated rod loose in said member, said member having a second slot extending inwardly from said one end and said second slot being longitudinally curved and constituting a keeper, a pin xed to said rod and loosely selectively engageable in each of said slots, a tray supporting plate fixed to said rod,a tray, a sector shaped plate fixed to the lower side of said tray, means pivotally securing said sector shaped plate -to said sup- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Kuehler Jan. 15, 1918 Lifuendahl et al Apr. 13, 1937 Holland et al Mar. 1, 1949 

